COMICA - a post event reflection

Don't be disappointed - only three issues of Ink Soup sold - (one to a close relative, erhm!) Around the tables someone had been going round checking, and rumor has it that the average was around 3 books sold.

Again Lessons to learn:

• Two types of books sold:

1. exquisite and finely drawn - Roo again sold four books and 4 sets of postcards
2. concept driven, either around narrative structure or book construction, these types sold very well

• Ink Soup in the wrong market - comica event was surprisingly filled more with handmade goodies, the two blokes next to me sold very little, though their work was professional, but not 1 or 2 (see above)
• Pound books sell! - 31 in all!
• Need to know when to be enthusiastic about the work - In the future I need more info about the books - more business cards and free stuff you wish to give alongside work
• I packaged and sold all of my raaas and smoking eyebrows (only took 5 of each), I packaged Johan's as well, and sold one, but wished I could have talked about his story!
• Interesting constructions do sell - the chiufold (only four books) sold out early on

Comica as an event was a fun experience for me, and very cheap table rent. As a venue for selling, it wasn't ideal as we were high up in the upper gallery, and the only signage was a feeble A4 poster on the stairs below the upper gallery - very poor signage promotion!

Lots of student work, with cheerful souls plying their goods - Isabel Greenberg's work was beautiful, Sarah Lynch bought some of her work in Leeds! I considered it seriously but was put off by the artist's indiffernce and almost obnoxious atitude towards buyers - Although I would like to sell my own work, that's not the resson for striking up a conversation, and I often just chatted to people to find out about who they were.
Some lovely packaging ideas, but the way to go is definitely to sell a selection of goods as opposed to just one idea - still, this person's artwork is real quality!
London underground comics later on didn't seem too happy! Having a whole table I'm not sure if they even covered their costs?
Our table really was a quarter table - though about half way through the guy on the far left (not there in the picture) left and we all spread ourselves over

The Good News! I took Ink Soup to Orbital comics shop in London, and the owner was pleased to sell are anthology after they move to new premises in the new year, so that shows promise!